(MENAFN- Asia Times)
A general problem in these American elections is that the climate of rhetorical violence and the spread of conspiracy theories is a double-edged sword.
Whoever uses it will also suffer from it, and unfortunately, the attempt on former president Donald trump and the very bizarre interpretations given in the heat of the moment – and that will no doubt continue to circulate – is the product of this atmosphere.
It is a Pandora's box that has been opened which should instead be closed because, right or wrong, the decisive issues of the elections are four:
Public order. People, the middle class, feel that crime is increasing.
Immigration.
Inflation.
Some people believe there is a problem with the American decision-making process, which is too slow and too cumbersome.
On all of these four themes, Trump is strong. If not for the January 6, 2021 episode – whether you call it an insurrection, a rabid protest, or an attempted coup – if there were no attempt to deny the legitimacy of President Joe Biden's election, today, probably, Trump would have the wind in his sails for his re-election.
Trump's arguments on all these four issues seem stronger than Biden's. Biden and the Democrats dispute these issues, but they are always controversial. For example:
There's inflation but there's economic growth.
There's immigration but there are also labor shortages because the economy is growing.
Crime can be a matter of perception because statistics can show one thing and the opposite.
The system's efficiency is laborious but avoids mistakes that could complicate things.
However, the key argument against Trump is his violent rhetoric, his plan to reform the American“deep state,” and to change America through populist rhetoric.
If we removed this populist rhetoric today, Trump's chances of being re-elected would be much higher.
Thus, it is in Trump's best interest to lower the tone and completely change his strategy, to stop with this populist rhetoric, clearly abandon conspiracy theories and move to the center. Here are the undecideds, those who might change their heart at the last minute and vote for Biden not because they are convinced of Biden's program but because they are frightened by Trump's radical agenda.
This could help America regain its unity. If it doesn't, then the legitimacy of the democratic process is in jeopardy. The process hinges on both candidates being willing to step back if the polls negatively affect them.
In the 1960s and 1970s, America was swamped by violent protests. There were Soviet infiltrations, the Black Panthers, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, and John Kennedy.
It was a much more violent and harsh moment than now. Even then, despite these assassinations, the American establishment – the central part of America – found unity, which helped to overcome the drama of the Vietnam War and to turn the Cold War around.
Today, from an external perspective with an eye from Italy, but mainly from China, where I have been for many years, society is divided but not to the levels of violence of the 1960s and 1970s.
However, the division at the top seems more dramatic and dangerous. Presidential candidates, in this case, Trump, are still disputing whether they lost the 2020 elections or not, casting a shadow over all American institutions.
If one election is questioned, the next and the one after that will also be suspected. Therefore, the entire institution of the American system is distrusted, including Trump's future possible election.
MENAFN19072024000159011032ID1108460618
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.